The contractor behind the long-delayed reconstruction of St Jude Hospital says he took significant financial risks to ensure the facility was finally handed over to the people of Saint Lucia.
Rayneau Gajadhar, managing director of Construction & Industrial Equipment Ltd., told St. Lucia Times the project was a “monumental task” marked by hurdles that saw him moving ahead on major orders before receiving formal government sign-off, which he acknowledged fell outside normal contractual procedure.
“I took the risk, and I said, ‘I am going to order it, and if you don’t like it, I will keep it and you don’t pay for it’,” Gajadhar said. “It was a very big risk, but because I really wanted to get the hospital done, I took that risk.”
He said that while none of the ordered materials has been rejected to date, he would absorb any loss if that were to happen.
“The point is, I delivered the hospital to the people of Saint Lucia,” Gajadhar declared. “I feel proud that I was part of it and was able to deliver it.”
Although the physical structure was handed over to the government earlier this month, the Vieux Fort facility is not yet fully operational. Key medical equipment still has to be installed, tested and commissioned.
Gajadhar said that three containers of medical equipment arrived last month, with the remaining shipments due this week. Installation teams and individuals who will commission the equipment are scheduled to fly into Saint Lucia once all the cargo is on island.
“Once [the shipments] arrive, we are going to be in a very good position… We hope to get the hospital up and operational in a short time,” he said.
Gajadhar stressed that the project should not be viewed through a partisan lens.
“This is not about me. This is not about the Prime Minister. This is not about [the] party in power. This is something the people of the south and the people of Saint Lucia deserve to have,” he said.
He also singled out the nurses and doctors who have provided care from makeshift facilities at the George Odlum Stadium, since the ageing St Jude Hospital was extensively destroyed by fire 16 years ago.
“They have done beyond excellent to have lasted so long in the stadium delivering the services,” he said.
Gajadhar also disclosed that his regional construction portfolio continues to grow.
Construction & Industrial Equipment Ltd is working on a major hospital project in Montserrat, with another big one coming up in Grenada, starting in the new year.
He added that his company has active or upcoming private sector projects in St Vincent, Grenada and Dominica, with seven new Dominican projects scheduled to begin next year.
The construction magnate pointed out that the firm has built capacity to rotate teams between islands, adding that workers often perform better when deployed outside their home territory.
I sincerely hope Rayneau Gajadhar does NOT become a politician!! He would ruin his ministry!!
While I commend him with going ahead for what he thinks is RIGHT. If he had to wait on any government official for approval on anything – it would be delayed (we know our government ministers and ministries well enough). Kudos to Rayneau for stepping up, and getting the job done – regardless!